Muzzle-support for guns.



L. v. BENE/T & H. A. IvIEIIcI.

MUZZLE SUPPORT FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 5. 1915 1 1 53,9 1 8. Patented Sept. 7, 1915.

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MUZZLE SUPPORT FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 5. 1915- H 1,15,13,01, PatentedSept. 1915.

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at mf- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LaUnENcEv. BENET AND HENRI A. MERGE, or rams, FRANCE.

MUZZLE-SUPPORT ron GUNS.

Original application filed December 27, 1913, Serial No. 809,064. Divided and this application filed J anuary Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. '7, 1915.

5, 1915. Serial No. 676.

To all whom it-mag concern Be it known that we,'LAURENon V. Benin andHENRI A. MERCIE', citizens of the United States and France, respectively, residing at Paris, France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Muzzle-Supports for Guns; and we do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make andfuse the same.

Our present invention relates to improvements in muzzle supports for automatic guns, and more especially for automatic shoulder rifles, such, forinstance, as shown in our application, Serial No. 809064, filed December 27, 1913, and entitled Automatic shoulder rifle (of which this is a division), or such, for instance, as is shown in our U. S. Patent No. 861939, granted July 30, 1907 and entitled Gas operated'gun. Guns of this character are ordinarily fired from the shoulder while the marksman isin the lyingdown position, and a suitable muzzle support, that may be readily attached to or re moved from the gun, is especially desirable; and it is the object of the present invention to supply such a support.

Our invention-will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figure 1 shows the marksman with the rifle in the position for firing lying-down, and with the muzzle support in use and with the bayonet unsheathed and fixed; Fig. 2 is a similar view, but shows the support in use with the bayonet contained in its sheath; Fig. 3 shows a cross section across the barrel adjacent to the muzzle support, the section being along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; the parts being shown on a larger scale than in Fig. 1 and parts being broken away; Fig. l is a plan view showing the means for attaching the bayonet scabbard to the gun to form a muzzle support, parts being broken away; Fig. 5 shows the bayonet scabbard and the supporting leg pivoted thereto as removed from the gun, parts being broken away; and Fig 5 shows the holding clip used to support the bayonet scabbard from the belt of the soldier.

A represents the receiver of the gun, from which the barrel A projects, which barrel. is ordinarily inclosed in a guard B, provided with a series ofperforations b, and a collar 0 with a downwardly-projecting lug a to engage the bayonet handle, as shown inFigl, when the bayonet G is fixed. The bayonet G is preferably of the type known as a sword bayonet and tits in a stiff scabbard 'D.

E is a leghinged to the bayonet scabbard.

F, shown in Fig. 5 represents the loop connected by the strip F to the upper end of the bayonet scabbard by means of which it may be attached to the belt of the soldier.

The bayonet and bayonetscabbard are of the usual construction, except that near the upper end of the scabbard a metal band H is attached, to which band the leg E is pivoted, as at 6. On the opposite side of the scabbard from this leg are provided suitable means for attaching the bayonet scabbard to the weapon, which means consists of a bracket I carried by the band H and pro vided with a'lug 2', adapted to project into one of the openings 6 provided in the guard B. A curved link K is pivoted to this bracket I, as at is, which link carries a corresponding lug 70 adapted to engage in another one of these openings 6 in the guard B, as shown in Fig. 3; thus these two lugsform trunnions about which the breech of the, gun may be-moved through a vertical angle. The curved link K engages a loop-shaped catch M, which is hinged to the scabbard, as at m,

and is provided with a thumb lug m, for

convenience in applying or disconnecting the same. The link K and the catch M together serve as a collar to attach the scabbard to the piece.

The supporting leg E is provided with a shoulder 6, see Figs. 3 and 5, which limits the swing of the leg outward, and the said leg is also provided with a pointed tip 6 adapted to engage in the earth, and with a shoe e, see Figs. 2 and 3, adapted to prevent the leg from piercing down too far if the earth be soft. This leg is provided with a button 6 to engage the holding strap N when the scabbard and leg are not in use as a muzzle support. It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 3 that the scabbard may be attached to the weapon with the bayonet fixed, in which case the scabbard is attached to the piece in rear of the collar C, while if it is not desired to have the bayonet fixed, it may be allowed to remain in the scabbard as shown in Fig. 2, and the scabbard may be attached to the gun either in front of the collar C, as shown in Fig. 2, or in rear there of as shown in Fig. 1.

When in transport, the legE is folded;

close along the side of the (scabbard, as shown in'Fig. 5, and is fastened thereto by the strap N, and the bayonet is ordinarily held in the scabbard and supported from the belt of the soldier in the usual way; but if it is desired to attach the muzzle support to the piece, the parts are applied in the position shown in Fig. 3, and the leg E is disengaged from the strap N and the bayonet may be either retained in the scabbard, or fixed on the piece, as desired.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described apparatus, and in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts which could be used without departing from the spirit of our invention. 7

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat rent of the United States is 1. A muzzle support for firearms comprising a bayonet scabbard provided with a leg hinged thereto, and means for connecting said scabbard to the gun near its muzzle,

substantially as described.

2. A muzzle support for firearms comprising a reinforced bayonet scabbard pro vided with a leg hinged thereto, and means for. detachably connecting said scabbard to the gun near its muzzle, substantially as described.

3. In a gun, the coniblnation with the barrel and its casing, of a muzzle support for (Topics of this patent may be obtained for said gun comprising a bayonet scabbard, a

leg pivoted to saidbayonet scabbard, and means for attaching said bayonet scabbard to; said barrel casing, said means comprising atrunnion lug projecting from said scabbard, and engaging in a recess in said casing,- a curved link hinged to said scabbard and" provided with a trunnionlug adapted-to engage the opposite side of the barrel casing from the first-mentioned lug, with meansfor holding .said hinged link in place substan tially as described.

4:. In a gun, the combination with the'bar-i rel and its casing, of a muzzle support for 7 first-mentioned lug, with a second link piv- I oted. to said scabbard and engaging the first link for holding said trunnion lugs in on gagement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, we 'aflix our signatures, in presence of'two witnesses.

LAURENCE V. BENET. HENRI A. MERCIE. Witnesses to LaurencexV. Benet:

J. A. CHAINNARD, LAWRENCE SLADE. Witnesses to Henri A. Merci:

CHARLES KERNAN, ENG. DERNEDEN.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. a r 

